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Freel as "utility" man

Everything I read says that Freel could be the second baseman but is more valuable in a "utility" role. What exactly does that mean?

Freel is by far the Reds' best leadoff hitter. He needs to play most days. The team can't put him in the lineup only when someone is hurt or needs a rest.

Freel's best defensive position is the outfield, but those slots are taken, at least for now. Second base is the only regular position for him. Rest him occasionally, let him play outfield on occasion, but don't sit him waiting for something to open up.

Re: Freel as "utility" man

Everything I read says that Freel could be the second baseman but is more valuable in a "utility" role. What exactly does that mean?

Freel is by far the Reds' best leadoff hitter. He needs to play most days. The team can't put him in the lineup only when someone is hurt or needs a rest.

Freel's best defensive position is the outfield, but those slots are taken, at least for now. Second base is the only regular position for him. Rest him occasionally, let him play outfield on occasion, but don't sit him waiting for something to open up.

Re: Freel as "utility" man

Am I completely nuts to thinik that outfield isn't necessarily Freel's best position? I admit to a limited "sample size" the last couple years due to school, but I've seen him break the wrong way on balls and take circuitous routes to others.

From what I've seen (which I'm open to debunking with hard numbers), I'd certainly rather see him at 2B than CF.

I agree he's the most logical "leadoff guy" and I'd rather see him in the lineup than the characters we have at 2B. I'd take my chances with a non-prototypical leadoff hitter, however, if it means that a healthy and rested Dunn/Pena/Kearns/Griffey has to take a seat just so that our best leadoff hitter (freel) gets to play..

". . . acquiring J. Blanton from Oakland for, apparently, Bailey/Cueto, Votto and a lesser prospect. I do it in a second . . . The Reds' equation this year is simple: Make Matt Belisle your #3 starter . . . trade for Blanton, win 85 or more, be in the mix all summer." - Paul Daugherty, Feb. 8, 2008

Re: Freel as "utility" man

I don't think he gets particularly good reads anywhere. But in CF you can make up reads with great speed moreso than anywhere else on the diamond. It's the same reason why it's where Pena is most effective right now. What I don't get, is that if we're gonna have a 2B with a sub .700 OPS, why not at least make it Olmedo or Bergolla and improve our defense?

As we've already established, scoring runs isn't the issue, so keeping Freel in the lineup, while nice, isn't really necessary from an offensive perspective. But substituting Womack for him, who's not much of a defensive upgrade and a major offensive downgrade just doesn't make any sense at all.

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